Video: British songstress Joss Stone talks music, murder plot

View full size(AP Photo/Armando Franca)British soul singer Joss Stone performs during an open air concert at Lisbon's Comercio square Saturday, July 30 2011.

Joss Stone, the famous 24-year-old English soul singer, was the victim of an alleged murder plot in June.

Two men were arrested outside Stone's home in England with Samurai swords and a body bag. After the arrest, Stone's father begged her to "book more gigs" so she wouldn't be home alone.

"I'm just chillin' out in Devon making my cupcakes, minding my own business, and these people ... with like Samurai swords and stuff, they definitely went 'Kill Bill' on it. It's like they watched too many movies," Stone told CNN.

Her fifth studio album entitled LP1 was released July 26. "LP1" was #6 on iTunes' list of top selling albums for week ending Aug. 1, 2011.

Review by Dolores Barclay, Associated Press:

Stone delivers on the lyrics, which are considerably edgy and mature, and centered on renewal and freedom. It's the music, though, that needs some juice. There is no fire, no emotional core to pump the blood and rock us out. She needs rounder, more textured sounds to illumine a voice that reaches from a gospel growl to a plaintive sweetness.

She opens with "Newborn," a guitar-infused edgy tale that sets the tone, pleading to treat the day "like a newborn baby" who needs to be cared for: "What happened to this morning when I woke up hung over? ... Everybody's taking care of themselves/But not no one else. ... We're stiffening our love."

Later, she tries to tear it up with "Don't Start Lying to Me Now" and the anthem-like "Boatyard." But Chad Cromwell's rhythms intrude with an almost drum-kit quality.